as in vice
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money
prostitution is illegal in most states
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Recent Examples of prostitution
The royal, who was then the Duke of York, was forced to step down from his role in 2011 over his friendship with Epstein, who had been convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
In 2015, documents were released relating to Epstein’s 2008 criminal case where Epstein pled guilty to the charges of solicitation of prostitution and procurement of a minor for prostitution.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
He was sentenced to 18 months in custody after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution and hiring minors to engage in prostitution.
—Chris Quintana, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
In July 2006, Palm Beach, Florida, police arrested Epstein for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
In 2015, documents were released relating to Epstein’s 2008 criminal case where Epstein pled guilty to the charges of solicitation of prostitution and procurement of a minor for prostitution.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
He was sentenced to 18 months in custody after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution and hiring minors to engage in prostitution.
—Chris Quintana, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
In July 2006, Palm Beach, Florida, police arrested Epstein for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostitution
harlotry
Noun
-
In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.—
Time,
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
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Within the slippery world of harlotry—where class can be transcended and humanity bought—relationships form that defy our historical assumptions about the bounded categories of human experience.—
Sarah Marshall,
New Republic,
2 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostitution. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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